Cotton's final-quarter Blitz sinks Breakers

The four-time NBL MVP scored half of his 32 points in the final quarter, including 10 in a row, as the Wildcats pulled off a brilliant 108-102 victory to make it six from six over the pre-season.

Big man Keanu Pinder was another important performer at both ends of the floor, finishing with 25 points and eight rebounds.

Debutant Dylan Windler showed some exciting signs in limited minutes in his return from an ankle injury, scoring nine points in a little under 13 minutes.

Pinder looked on from the get-go, producing a team-lifting defensive effort before scoring the Wildcats’ first points of the game and hitting the resulting and-one.

Perth went on an 8-0 run with Pinder and Cotton at the forefront.

Former NBA sharpshooter Windler got on court for the first time as a Wildcat midway through the opening term.

Young guards Ben Henshall and Elijah Pepper also entered the game before quarter-time, as did Next Star Izan Almansa who was proving to be a presence in the paint.

The Breakers led 23-20 at the first change before Windler tied things up with his first points in red, which was fittingly a triple.

Windler finished with nine points for the second quarter, while Pinder was up to 14 for the half to go with six rebounds, but it was New Zealand with a 55-46 advantage at half-time.

After giving 10 of his players some court time in the opening half, head coach John Rillie went back to his trusty starting five to start the second.

Pinder and Cotton kept the Wildcats within striking distance, with the margin cut back to four.

But the Breakers swung the momentum back in their favour to go up 80-67 at three-quarter time.

A Hyrum Harris triple followed by a four-point play from Henshall in the early stages of the last brought the game to life.

The Wildcats simply wouldn’t give up, with Pinder’s three making it three points the difference with as many minutes to go.

Cotton then had two steals in quick succession as the Wildcats snatched the lead with under two minutes remaining.

The superstar’s 10 consecutive points turned the game on its head on the way to a remarkable victory.

The Wildcats’ next assignment of the Blitz is against Illawarra at Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre on Tuesday from 5.30pm WST.

The match will be streamed live on Kayo.